Medicines shortage hit Botswana
Shortage of medication does not seem like a crisis that will soon be out of the way any time soon in the country. Some patients who suffer from chronic diseases continue to desperately buy medication for themselves because they are being told there is no medication at clinics, hospitals but can only be found at private pharmacies.
Shortage of medication seems to be a prevalent crisis that has not really been tended to by the Ministry of Health as citizens continue to dig deep into their own pockets for them to have the medication they are prescribed to by the doctors. Some of these citizens cannot afford to buy the medication for themselves as their pockets are not deep enough.
Dr Christopher Nyanga, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, has since agreed that indeed Botswana is experiencing a crisis of shortage of medication in hospitals and clinics. “It is correct that the Ministry is currently experiencing shortages of medications as many that have been procured take a longer time to be delivered to us owing to the high demand across the globe, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected production capacities of most manufactures,” said Nyanga.
COVID-19 continues to be used as a scapegoat as to why many things are not going well in the world. The pandemic is still being blamed even when it has simmered down, and people have gotten used to living with COVID-19. Many can now see it continuing being used as an escape road as to why there is shortage of medication in the country.
Nyanga pointed out that although the ministry is awaiting the long overdue procured medications, they did not sit around but tried to find other initiatives that can help with this crisis.
“While awaiting the delivery of procured medications, the ministry makes efforts to buy through micro procurement from the private market,” Nyanga added. Though the ministry has tried to even purchase through micro procurement, their strategy has not really worked as the country continues to experience shortage of medication.
Nyanga said purchasing through micro procurement is a challenge on its own as this approach is that most medications are still not available on the local private market. This is because shortages of medication have become global phenomenon. It is even worse especially for countries that do not manufacture their own medicines like Botswana which depends heavily on imports.
Nyanga added that the ministry is, however, exploring other options through its partners and diplomatic channels, to see if that cannot help expedite delivery.
It remains to be seen as to when this crisis of shortage of medication end in the country as the citizens are still expected to buy their own medications if there is a shortage of them and if the crisis persists until it is resolved, a point where there is no shortage of medications in the country.